Unitary pivot pin or bolt



Patented Feb. 26, 1952 UN lTED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE 2,587,058 PIvoT'PIN'oR. BoL'r Robert "G. Melrose, Lloyd Harbor, N. assignor to Republic Aviation Corporation, Farmingdale, N. a. corporation of Delaware Application J'ulyzo, 1949, Serial No. 105,884

This invention relates "to pivot "pins asse s-or :the type disclosed in copending application "of Warren R. Petersen, filed March 26, 1949, Serial No. 83,670 and proposesto improve a device of this character by incorporating in the unitary pin 1 or bolt structure all elements necessary or essential to the operation, atta'chmentand "adjustinent thereof.

Once a pivot pin or bolt, such as contemplated by the present invention, is in its operative position it maybe adjusted to remove all play from a ted. It is proposed by the r 'n "incorporate in the structure of the pivot pin or bolt means by which any rotary movement of 'thepin or bolt in the apertures of members'con nected by it is counteracted or arrested so that adjustment of the assembly may be accomplished without causing more than a slight initial rota- "tion by pin or bolt. i v i With the above and other objects in view as will be apparent, this inventionc'onsists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts all as hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein; p

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the present pin or bolt pivotallyin its operative position securing the overlapped ends of a pair of links or levers one to the other, and illustrates'the same error to threading the nut of the assembly inwardly of its shank; p v

Fig. 2 is a similar 'viewillustratijng the not or the assembly threaded home'to' tig'hten thejoint established by the present pin or bolt; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken along line'33 fol? Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the latch pivetedto a bifurcated end of the shank of the instant asw I W I V Fig. 5 is an exploded View of the present p'v'ot pin r bolt to illustrate the details or the sever'a components thereof and the sequence in which they may be assembled. V I

The conventional bolt and nut requires that "the bolt be held against rotation while the not I is threaded home on the bolt. While the 'pivot pin or bolt of the aforesaid cop'ending application is a quick-disconnect it, like the conventional bolt and nut, requires that its shank or pin be held against rotation during the movement of the nut relative to andalong said .pin or shank. In that form of the device disclosed in said co- 1 claim. (01. 85-3) 2 pendingapplicati'on this is accomplished by modifying-one of themeinbe'rs connected by the pin or bolt to the extent of embodying therein or thereon 'a stop to contact the latch when positioned an'gularly with respect to the shank and thereby arrest any rotary movement of the shank occasioned by the nut being adjusted thereon.

unitary pivot pin or bolt assembly.

Reference being had more particularly to the drawings I0 designates a link or lever which is to be'pivotally attached to a second link or lever II by the unitary pivot pin or bolt assembly formingthe subject matter of the present invention. The end portions of these levers or links I0 and II may be flattened and are respectively provided with the transverse apertures I2 "and I3 to be registered one with the other for the 'recep'tion,'and projection therethrough, of the shank M of the present pivot pin or bolt assembly for the pivotal interconnection of these levers or links.

The shank I4 has one of its end portions I5 reduced in diameter to create the shoulder I6 at its inner end and this reduced portion I5 is provided with the threads I! extending inwardly from the outer end of said reduced portion. At its opposite end the shank I4 is longitudinally and centrally bifurcated, as at I8, to create the spaced, substantially parallel arms I9 between which a latch 20 is pivoted medially of its length on a pin 2| traversing the bifurcation I8 and secured to the arms I9. V

The instant invention particularly resides in 'thec'onst'ructio'n, form and operation of this latch 20 as well as in its cooperation with the shank I4 and one of the connected members I 0 or II.

At no point in its length is the latch 20 of greater the longitudinal axis of the shank and form a I continuation of the surface of the shank. The

opposite longitudinal ed e 23 of the latch 20 is also straight throughout the major portion of its length, but slopes inwardly of the latch toward the edge 22 from a point adjoining its inner end to a point adjoining its outer end. At its inner transverse extremity 24 the latch is formed on a curve extending from the inner end of the edge 22 to the inner end of the opposite or sloping edge 23. It is to be noted that the ends of the edges 22 and 23 are not oppositely disposed transversely of-the inner end of the latch but, on the contrary, the end of the edge 23 is positioned inwardly of the length of the latch from the end of the edge 22. By this means the edge 22 of the latch is somewhat larger than the edge 23 and is connected to the latter by the curved, transverse end 24. By this construction of the inner end 24 of the latch 20 that part thereof adjacent the end of the edge 22 will contact the bottom of the bifurcation I8 in the shank 14 when the latch is aligned longitudinally with the shank and arrest and prevent any further the pivotal movement of the latch 20 relative to the shank I4. The curved remainder of the end 24 of the latch 20 permits the pivotal movement of the latch from a position in longitudinal alignment with the shank I4 in one direction only whereby the latch may be moved in that direction through approximately 90 to a position substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the shank. In other words the latch 20 may swing between the angular position shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inc. and the position shown in Fig. where it is in longitudinal ali nment with the shank. This movement is arrested in one direction by contact between the bottom of the bifurcation IS in the shank I4 and the inner end of the latch in alignment with the edge 22 and in the opposite direction between the sloping edge 23 and the surface of an adjacent connected member such as link I I.

A cup nut 25 coacts with the threads I! of the reduced end portion I5 of the shank I4 and externally of this nut 25 the extremity of the shank is upset or headed, as at 26, so that when the nut is once in its operative position coacting with the threads I! it cannot be removed from reduced portion I5 of the shank I4. The inner face of the nut 25 is provided with a shallow recess 2'! concentric to the opening through the nut and its outer face is provided with a relatively deep cavity or cup 28 in which the extremity of the reduced portion I5 of the shank operates as shown in Fig. 3.

A washer 29, having a cylindrical and concentric spacer 30, is loosely mounted on the reduced end portion I5 of the shank I4 inwardly of the nut 25 to normally bear against the shoulder I 6 thereof. The base of the spacer 30 is surrounded by a recess 3I formed in the face of the washer 29 adjacent the base of the spacer 30.

Interposed between the inner faces of the nut 25 and washer 29 is a coil spring 32, surrounding the reduced portion I5 of the shank I4. One end of this spring 32 is seated in the shallow cavity 21 in the inner face of the nut, while its opposite end is seated in the similar cavity 3| in the washer 29. Since the spring 32 is an extension spring and abuts the nut 25 at one end and the washer 29 at its other end, it normally and resiliently maintains the washer 29 seated on the shoulder I6 of the shank regardless of the position of the nut. Manifestly, as the nut is threaded inwardly of the reduced portion 15 of the shank I4 the tension of the sprin 32 in, creases until the spring is fully COIRDI'ESSSQ;

From the foregoing it will be apparent that as the nut 25 is rotated on the end portion I5 of the shank there will be a constant tendency by the shank I4 to rotate in unison with the nut within the openings 12 and I3 of the members I0 and II pivotally connected by the shank Hi. This tendency is of course increased by the pressure of the spring 32 between the nut 25 and washer 29. Thus once the shank I4 has been projected through the openings l2 and I3 and the latch 20 is positioned substantially at right angles thereto, the rotation of the nut 25 may cause a free rotation of the shank I4 in unison with the nut and with it the angularly disposed latch 20 unless some means is provided to arrest this rotary movement. If and when the rotary movement of the shank is arrested or eliminated the nut 25 can be rotated relative to and adjusted on the shank. Accordingly the present invention proposes means embodied in the latch 20 which will contact with a part or surface of the adjacent lever or link to arrest any rotary movement on the part of the shank I4. At the same time this means, incorporated in the latch, is so proportioned and arranged that it will not interfere with the insertion in and the projection of the latch 20 through the openings I2 and I3 when said latch is in longitudinal alignment with the shank I4. To that end the edge 23 of the latch 20, which slopes inwardly from the end 24 of the latch toward the opposite edge 22 of the latch, is terminated at a point inwardly of the outer extremity of said latch. Since the latch 20 originally has a uniform width throughout its length the angular disposition of the edge 23 relative to the edge 22 and the termination thereof inwardly of the outer end of the latch results in a laterally extending ear 33 at the outer extremity of the latch 20.

When the latch 20 is positioned as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, viz., substantially at right angles to the shank I4, the sloping edge 23 thereof may rest flush against the outer surface of the adjoining lever or link II, with the result that the latch is not located exactly at right angles to the shank I4 but is positioned a little above this angle. When the latch 20 is so arranged the ear 33 thereof projects beyond the plane of the outer surface of the link or lever II whereby the rotation of the latch 20 in unison with the shank M, in either direction, under theimpetus of the nut 25 causes the ear 33 to abut one edge or the other of the member I I and thereby arrest any further rotary movement of the shank I4. Once the ear 33 has contacted the edge of the member H the nut 25 may be freely rotated and adjusted relative to the shank I4.

As the overall width of the latch 20 does not exceed at any point the diameter or greatest width of the shank I4 it may, when positioned coextensive with the shank I4 with its edge 22 aligned with the surface of the shank I4, readily pass through the apertures I2 and I3 of the connected members In and II. When disposed in this position that portion of the end 24 of the latch 20 normal to the edge 22 thereof will abut the base of the bifurcation I8 and arrestthe movement of the latch 20 in one direction while the curved portion of the end 24 which connects with the edge 23 of the latch permits the latch to swing in the opposite direction. The action of the spring 32 between the washer 29 and the nut- 25 insures constant contact between the sloping edge 23 of the latch 20 and the adjoining surfaces of the member i! with the end 24 0f the latch 20 disposed on one side of the pivot 2i and the remainder of the latch positioned on the opposite side thereof.

The foregoing makes it evident that when the washer 29, spring 32 and the nut 25 are assembled on the reduced portion l5 of the shank l4 and the extremity thereof headed or upset, as at 26, these elements, for all practical purposes, become integral but adjustable parts of the shank. If the spring 32 is manually compressed between the nut 25 and the washer 29 and the latch 20 is disposed in alignment with the shank H, the latch and shank may be projected through the openings l2 and I3 until the entire length of the latch is free of these openings whereupon it may be moved on its pivot 2| to an angular position relative to the shank. With the latch 20 and shank I4 inserted in and projected through the openings l2 and 13 of the members It) and II and the latch angularly disposed relative to the shank, the washer 29 of the assembly may be released to bear not only on the shoulder N5 of the shank I4 but also against the end portion of the adjoining member [0. The expanding action of the spring 32 between the washer 29 and the nut 25 will then bring the sloping edge 23 of the latch 20 into bearing contact with the outer surface of the member I l. The nut 25 may be then threaded inwardly or outwardly of the shank portion l5 until the spring 32 is either fully compressed to produce a tight joint or pivot, or relaxed to permit the removal of the shank if and when the latch is again aligned with the shank. If this threaded movement of the nut 25 causes any rotation of the shank M in the openings l2 and 13 this rotary movement is limited by contact between the ear 33 of the latch and an edge of the member II to something less than 360. In this manner any tendency on the shank l4 to be rotated, in either direction, by the nut 25 is limited to-an initial rotation continuing only until the ear 33 contacts one edge or the other of the adjoining link or lever H.

The latch 20 may be of any suitable and desirable length but its minimum length will be determined by the width of the adjoining connected member, it being necessary that the latch greater than, the width of the adjacent member,

- 'occupy an angular position relative to the shank,

6 Thus ii the member II is relatively wide the length of the latch 29 should be correspondingly increased. In fact the length of the latch may be increased to insure cooperation with substan tially any type and width of member I I.

What is claimed is:

A pivot pin or bolt comprising a shank bifurcated at one end and threaded at its opposite end, a nut adjustable on the threaded end of the shank to be located either in an inoperative position whereupon joined members have limited relative lateral movement or in an operative position whereupon said joined members are totally prevented relative lateral movement, a latch pivoted adjacent one of its ends within the bifurcated end of the shank, and means on that end of the latch disposed within the bifurcation to engage the bifurcated end of the latch to permit the latch to swing in one direction only to and a single lateral car on the outer end portion of one longitudinal side and disposed in the plane of the latch to project in the direction in which the latch must move to assume its position angular to the shank, said one longitudinal side extending in a straight line from said ear to beyond the pivot of said latch and adapted to engage the surface of the adjacent member on opposite sides of the pivot of the latch, the maximum width of the latch being no greater than the greatest transverse dimension of the shank.

ROBERT G. MELROSE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,077,006 Smith Oct. 28, 1913 1,168,257 Kennedy Jan. 11, 1916 1,386,202 Peterson Aug. 2, 1921 1,409,626 Walter Mar. 14, 1922 1,818,161 Ratigan Aug. 11, 1931 2,318,548 Whitehead May 4, 1943 2,360,395 Byron Oct. 17, 1944 2,446,030 Tunnard-Moore July 26, 1948 2,484,458 Modrey Oct. 11, 1949 

